文书楼

手机浏览器扫描二维码访问

第8部分(第1页)

een more than eighteen; younger than his son; Tim。

〃Ready to go; sir?〃 the pilot said。

〃Sure;〃 Norman said。 He was as ready as he would ever be。

Up close; the sub did not look like a toy。 It was incredibly massive and strong。 Norman saw a single porthole of curved acrylic。 It was held in place by bolts as big as his fist。 He touched them; tentatively。

The pilot smiled。 〃Want to kick the tires; sir?〃

〃No; Ill trust you。〃

〃Ladders this way; sir。〃

Norman climbed the narrow rungs to the top of the sub; and saw the small circular hatch opening。 He hesitated。

〃Sit on the edge here;〃 the pilot said; 〃and drop your legs in; then follow it down。 You may have to squeeze your shoulders together a bit and suck in your 。。。 Thats it; sir。〃 Norman wriggled through the tight hatch into an interior so low he could not stand。 The sub was crammed with dials and machinery。 Ted was already aboard; hunched in the back; grinning like a kid。 〃Isnt this fantastic?〃

Norman envied his easy enthusiasm; he felt cramped and a little nervous。 Above him; the pilot clanged the heavy hatch ''48'' shut and dropped down to take the controls。 〃Everybody okay?〃

They nodded。

〃Sorry about the view;〃 the pilot said; glancing over his shoulders。 〃You gentlemen are mostly going to be seeing my hindquarters。 Lets get started。 Mozart okay?〃 He pressed a tape deck and smiled。 〃Weve got thirteen minutes descent to the bottom; music makes it a little easier。 If you dont like Mozart; we can offer you something else。〃

〃Mozarts fine;〃 Norman said。

〃Mozarts wonderful;〃 Ted said。 〃Sublime。〃

〃Very good; gentlemen。〃 The submarine hissed。 There was squawking on the radio。 The pilot spoke softly into a headset。 A scuba diver appeared at the porthole; waved。 The pilot waved back。

There was a sloshing sound; then a deep rumble; and they started down。

〃As you see; the whole sled goes under;〃 the pilot explained。 〃The subs not stable on the surface; so we sled her up and down。 Well leave the sled at about a hundred feet or so。

Through the porthole; they saw the diver standing on the deck; the water now waist…deep。 Then the water covered the porthole。 Bubbles came out of the divers scuba。

〃Were under;〃 the pilot said。 He adjusted valves above his head and they heard the hiss of air; startlingly loud。 More gurgling。 The light in the submarine from the porthole was a beautiful blue。

〃Lovely;〃 Ted said。

〃Well leave the sled now;〃 the pilot said。 Motors rumbled and the sub moved forward; the diver slipping off to one side。 Now there was nothing to be seen through the porthole but undifferentiated blue water。 The pilot said something on the radio; and turned up the Mozart。

〃Just sit back; gentlemen;〃 he said。 〃Descending eighty feet a minute。〃

Norman felt the rumble of the electric motors; but there was no real sense of motion。 All that happened was that it got darker and darker。

''49'' 〃You know;〃 Ted said; 〃were really quite lucky about this site。 Most parts of the Pacific are so deep wed never be able to visit it in person。〃 He explained that the vast Pacific Ocean; which amounted to half the total surface area of the Earth; had an average depth of two miles。 〃There are only a few places where it is less。 One is the relatively small rectangle bounded by Samoa; New Zealand; Australia; and New Guinea; which is actually a great undersea plain; like the plains of the American West; except its at an average depth of two thousand feet。 Thats what we are doing now; descending to that plain。〃

Ted spoke rapidly。 Was he nervous? Norman couldnt tell: he was feeling his own heart pound。 Now it was quite dark outside; the instruments glowed green。 The pilot flicked on red interior lights。

Their descent continued。 〃Four hundred feet。〃 The submarine lurched; then eased forward。 〃This is the river。〃

〃What river?〃 Norman said。

〃Sir; we are in a current of different salinity and temperature; it behaves like a river inside the ocean。 We traditionally stop about here; sir; the sub sticks in the river; takes us for a little ride。〃

〃Oh yes;〃 Ted said; reaching into his pocket。 Ted handed the pilot a ten…dollar bill。

Norman glanced questioningly at Ted。

〃Didnt they mention that to you? Old tradition。 You always pay the pilot on your way down; for good luck。〃

〃I can use some luck;〃 Norman said。 He fumbled in his pocket; found a five…dollar bill; thought better of it; took out a twenty instead。

〃Thank you; gentlemen; and have a good bottom stay; both of you;〃 the pilot said。

The electric motors cut back in。

热门小说推荐
神印王座

神印王座

魔族强势,在人类即将被灭绝之时,六大圣殿崛起,带领着人类守住最后的领土。一名少年,为救母加入骑士圣殿,奇迹诡计,不断在他身上上演。在这人类六大圣殿与魔族七十二柱魔神相互倾轧的世界,他能否登上象征着骑士最高荣耀的神印王座?...

神墓

神墓

神魔陵园位于天元大6中部地带,整片陵园除了安葬着人类历代的最强者异类中的顶级修炼者外,其余每一座坟墓都埋葬着一位远古的神或魔,这是一片属于神魔的安息之地。一个平凡的青年死去万载岁月之后,从远古神墓中复活而出,望着那如林的神魔墓碑,他心中充满了震撼。沧海桑田,万载岁月悠悠而过,整个世界彻底改变了,原本有一海峡之隔的...

天美地艳男人是山

天美地艳男人是山

从农村考入大学的庾明毕业后因为成了老厂长的乘龙快婿,后随老厂长进京,成为中央某部后备干部,并被下派到蓟原市任市长。然而,官运亨通的他因为妻子的奸情发生了婚变,蓟原市急欲接班当权的少壮派势力以为他没有了后台,便扯住其年轻恋爱时与恋人的越轨行为作文章,将其赶下台,多亏老省长爱惜人才,推荐其参加跨国合资公司总裁竞聘,才东山再起然而,仕途一旦顺风,官运一发不可收拾由于庾明联合地方政府开展棚户区改造工程受到了中央领导和老百姓的赞誉。在省代会上,他又被推举到了省长的重要岗位。一介平民跃升为省长...

修真位面商铺

修真位面商铺

成仙难,难于上青冥!修真难,没有法宝没有丹药没有威力巨大的符箓,没有强悍的天赋。但是自从有了位面商铺就不一样了,有了位面商铺一切都有了。什么,修真界最普通的洗髓丹在你那里是绝世神丹!什么,你们那个位面遍地都是各种精金矿物,精铁灰常便宜!前世走私军火的商人,今生在修真界同样要将商人当做自己终生的追求。我只是一个做生意的,修炼真仙大道只是我一个副业。成为位面商铺之主,横扫诸天万界。商铺在手,天下我有!...

倚天屠龙夺艳记

倚天屠龙夺艳记

赵敏的娇蛮狐媚周芷若的举止优雅小昭的温柔体贴不悔的秀丽美艳蛛儿的任性刁蛮  一梦醒来,该是倚天屠龙的另一个新主角上场了...

魔师逆天

魔师逆天

前世孤苦一生,今世重生成兽,为何上天总是这样的捉弄!为何上天总是那样的不公!他不服,不服那命运的不公。自创妖修之法,将魔狮一族发展成为能够抗衡巨龙的麒麟一族,成就一代麒麟圣祖的威名。...